Denver's Kuper vital to offensive line's success

ENGLEWOOD -- If Peyton Manning is the most valuable Bronco, than Chris Kuper might be the Bronco most valuable to Manning's well being.

In the five games Kuper has been the Broncos' starting right guard, Manning has been sacked just twice.

But in the eight games Kuper missed because of forearm and left ankle injuries, Manning has been sacked 17 times.

This does not mean Kuper's replacement, Manny Ramirez, is responsible for so many hits on the Broncos' quarterback. But it does speak to Kuper's role as the glue and leader and the Broncos' offensive line.

"I don't think it's one guy, I don't think it ever is," Broncos coach John Fox said. "There's a lot of guys involved in the pass protection from the quarterback to the wideouts, running backs -- so I think that's really by chance."

Yes and no. Offensive lines do not work as five separate blockers but as five blockers who move and ward off defenders as one. Remove one piece from that line -- especially a piece like Kuper, who is the senior member of the Broncos' blocking unit -- and there could be a domino effect.

Kuper has been around so long he was a teammate of center Tom Nalen and left tackle Matt Lepsis. The right guard has the strength and instincts to help out young right tackle Orlando Franklin and veteran center Dan Koppen, who has only been with the team for three months.

Problem is, Kuper has been banged up all year. He missed the first five games because of a fractured left forearm and missed three more because of a left ankle injury that flared up on last week prior to the game at Oakland.

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It's the same ankle that was dislocated in the final game of last season.

For Sunday's game at Baltimore, Kuper is listed as questionable.

Manning's Broncos and

Manning's Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies played the Nuggets on Friday night at the Pepsi Center.

Manning, whose wife, Ashley, recently invested a minority stake in her hometown Grizzlies, was not in attendance. At tipoff, Peyton Manning was already in Baltimore. The Broncos left town Friday afternoon as Fox prefers to leave two days before a road game.

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